All-star linebacker Griffin Hite joins his father with Hokies

If nothing else, coaches demand punctuality. So it was no surprise that Griffin Hite called at precisely the appointed hour.

Hite takes after his coaching father in another way.

"I was the only tailback at North Carolina in the '70s who started that didn't go to the NFL," Billy Hite said with a laugh. "(Griffin) takes after his father in that regard. The reason he wasn't (offered scholarships) by Division I programs is his overall speed.

"He does everything else right. He gets to the football. He makes a lot of plays."

Indeed, Griffin was an outstanding running back and linebacker at Blacksburg High, and he'll compete for the West team in Friday's Virginia High School Coaches Association all-star game at Darling Stadium. This on the heels of his most treasured accomplishment: an invitation to play for Virginia Tech as a walk-on.

"I grew up going to (Tech) practices," Griffin said. "I would visualize myself being there one day, and it happened."

Griffin's childhood view of the Hokies came courtesy of his father, a Tech institution. Billy coached the Hokies' running backs for 33 seasons from 1978-2010 before accepting an administrative role — assistant to the head coach and senior advisor — during the offseason.

From Lee Suggs to Kevin Jones to Darren Evans to Ryan Williams, Griffin watched his dad coach some of Tech's finest. He hung around the locker room, chowed at the training table and traveled to bowls.

"Like vacations," Griffin said.

Griffin considered Richmond and a walk-on invitation from Marshall. But the opportunity from Tech was too tempting.

"I've always been around the facility and coaches," he said. "It felt like family. … I didn't get that gut feeling (about Richmond or Marshall)."

At 6-foot, 205 pounds, Griffin projects as a college linebacker. He figures to redshirt on the scout team as a freshman and then hopes to continue the program's tradition of walk-ons emerging as headliners.

Defensive end John Engelberger was the first, followed by folks such as tight end John Burke, guard Will Montgomery and, most recently, Cody Grimm, an All-ACC linebacker in 2009.

"Obviously he still needs to get bigger and faster and stronger, and working with (strength coach) Mike Gentry he will," Billy said of his son. "He's a physical football player. If we can get him into the 4.6 range (for the 40-yard dash), he can play for Virginia Tech."

Since Friday is a travel day for college teams, Billy missed many of Griffin's high school games. But the two watched tape, and Griffin welcomed his dad's critiques.

Rest assured, Billy will not miss Friday's game.

"It's the first all-star game I've been able to see in 20-some years," he said, referring to the NCAA football recruiting calendar that prohibits Division I coaches from attending the VHSCA contest.

Griffin will get plenty more fatherly input at Tech. Although not on the coaching staff per se, Billy will attend every practice and be on the sideline for every game.

"Everybody's got to give it up sometime," he said of coaching. "I'm going to miss the players in the meeting room, but the recruiting got to me. It burned me out. … I was ready for the change. I really was."

Close as father and son will be on the football field, they no longer will share the same roof. Griffin moved into an on-campus dorm July 3.

He's taking a human development course and is keeping up with the class online from Hampton amid all-star practices this week. Summer academics and the fear of injury dissuade many football and men's basketball recruits from participating in the VHSCA game, but not Griffin.

"I always thought it would be pretty cool to be invited," he said. "At the same time, you have to be humbled. If there's a game, I'll want to play."

Friday is likely to be Griffin's final game for more than a year, and that's fine by him given the potential dividend — playing for Virginia Tech.

"I didn't come to Tech because (of) my dad," he said. "I came to Tech because I thought it was the best place for me."

David Teel can be reached at 247-4636 or by e-mail at dteel@dailypress.com. For more from Teel, read his blog at dailypress.com/sports/teeltime and follow him at twitter.com/DavidTeelatDP